Vise Insert Prevents Racking

This simple device helps keep your bench vise in perfect alignment

This simple little shopmade gadget prevents my vise from racking when the pressure gets cranked up on one end of the jaw. To make it, start by cutting a couple of dozen 1/8-in. – to 1/4-in.-thick plywood scraps, each one 2-in. wide by 4-in. long. Then drill a 3/8-in.-diameter hole near one end of each piece. Fasten the pieces together with a 1/4-in. bolt, washers, and a wing nut. After snugging up the vise to the workpiece, pivot the plywood spacers down into position as needed at the opposite side of the vise. With the insert in place, the vise won’t rack, even if you tighten it down hard.

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